“It always impresses me how many people come out just to watch us practice,” Barber said. “They have so much excitement, and you have to take some time to appreciate that.”

Barber was the last player signing autographs, and he narrowly outlasted fellow safety Nick Ferguson by a few minutes. Both players stayed so long that it started to feel like a competition, which is what they've been doing on the field for the past two weeks.

Ferguson, a 10-year veteran, was the assumed starter coming into training camp, but because of his stellar play, Barber has been getting the most reps lately with the first team.

Progress report

Last season, as a sixth-round pick out of Minnesota, Barber played in 12 games and had four starts. He was impressive on special teams, but right now, he looks prepared to make the transition to a full-time safety.

“We're trying to give reps to guys we see earning those reps,” Kubiak said. “Dominique has had that kind of camp, and we're going to give those guys opportunities.”

Barber, a Minnesota native, grew up playing hockey. As a diehard Detroit Red Wings fan, Barber was crushed when they lost the Stanley Cup to Pittsburgh in June. But other than watching hockey, Barber improved his value to the team over the summer. He gives most of the credit to defensive backs coach David Gibbs, whom Barber calls a mentor who has improved his physical presence.

“He helps me tremendously,” Barber said. “He has us do corner drills to work on getting quicker feet, and he's just an excellent technician in helping me improve.”

And not only his physical game, but the coaches say Barber has made unexpectedly huge strides mentally.

“Dominique is pushing Nick right now,” Kubiak said. “Nick's a pro, so it'll be a heck of a battle. I'm just impressed with how much progress Dominique has made.”

Barber downplays the competition with Ferguson, and he modestly brushes it off when Kubiak's compliments are relayed to him.

“That's pretty cool for the head coach to say good things about you,” Barber said. “We're out there battling, but it's definitely not my spot to keep. So I'm just trying to make big plays, and it's a fun challenge that elevates your game.”

Many have written off Barber's ability to cover a lot of ground as a luxury of his natural athleticism. His brother, Marion, is the starting running back for the Dallas Cowboys, so there's a distinctive football genealogy, but Kubiak says that ability comes more from the mental aspect.

Student of the game

“Players that really know what's going on, smart to schemes, smart to routes, those are the guys who cover the most ground,” Kubiak said. “Nick has seen routes for many, many years. Dominique, not so many, so I think he's going to only get better.”

While he might not have the NFL experience yet, Barber has the capacity to make himself better. He's an articulate student of the game who seems passionate about bettering the Texans.

“I'm just competing to get on the field and help our team,” Barber said. “Whether it be starting or backup or special teams, I just want to do whatever I can.”